


The Angel Maker

by Blairdiggory



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Reader Has Powers, fluff with plot, like maximum ride only less lame, not graphic, some blood, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-15 10:37:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5783110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blairdiggory/pseuds/Blairdiggory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reader goes on an exchange program between SHIELD agents and Asgardian guards. Everything's totally normal, until you save the youngest prince from an assassination attempt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Let's put it simply: You were a mutant. You had never felt any sense of kindred with Professor Xavier's mutants, though. It was totally cool and all to have others understand your predicament, and it was pretty damn sweet to have working wings on your back and heightened senses and abilities, but you knew there were also people out there who wanted to exploit you, hurt you, and kill you, and you just couldn't find it in yourself to stay in one place, especially somewhere as well-known as Xavier's.  
But then you were contacted by SHIELD agents. SHIELD offered an on-the-run, thirteen-year-old you a secret, safe home food, and pay in return for saving the world with them, and you gladly accepted.  
SHIELD taught you to fight (well, fight better than a scrappy, scared kid), and the agents were pretty cool towards you, not to mention you were safer than you'd ever been in your life, so all in all, your life was pretty good. As you grew older, you grew stronger. Though you didn't know it, Fury was considering making you an Avenger. But you never forgot about the threat that your "powers", as you called them, had come with.  
So when Director Fury announced a potential offer, a sort of foreign exchange program between SHIELD agents and Asgard knights, you signed right up to get the hell on out of Earth. You would become an Asgard guard for a time and teach the Asgardians about Earthling fighting and tactics while an Asgard guard would become a SHIELD agent and teach Fury's men about Asgardian fighting and tactics. It was a top secret project, one only SHIELD, the captain of the Asgardian security force, and King Odin knew about. You would be in a completely different realm, with a complete new culture to learn, and you were SO looking forward to it.  
When the time came to switch roles, you waved good-bye to the few close friends you had in SHIELD, and were teleported to your new home.

~Five year time skip~

You had been at Asgard for five years. You had been advised to keep your head down, as being an Earthling would surely attract unwanted attention that could get you killed, and you learned to speak in the mannerisms of the Asgardians. You trained when most of the others were busy with paperwork or meals or the like, so most had never even see you fight. You role there was mainly a teaching one, even though you were fully capable of handling yourself on missions, but tonight was about to change that.  
The king was holding a masquerade ball, and with most of the royalty of Asgard present, you were asked to be a plainclothesman of sorts to protect them. You were wearing an elegant, (f/c) dress which has a closed back to conceal your wings and was also long enough to hide the knives strapped to your legs in the off chance that you needed to kick some butt. Your mask concealed the top half of your face, hiding your identity fairly well.  
You were roaming the courtyard, where many of the couples were dancing on a light-filled dais. You had been eyeing a man in a blue coat whom you had seen passing by both Prince Thor and Prince Loki with increasing frequency for no apparent reason. You had informed a fellow guard of this, and he had agreed to keep track of Prince Thor, while you watched the man and Prince Loki. You were still attempting to disguise your interest in the suspicious man when the other gentleman you were supposed to be watching walked casually up to you.  
"Are you looking for someone to dance with?" he smirked.  
You snapped out of guard-mode and gazed at the prince before you.  
"Oh! No, sir, I was just watching the dancers."  
His smirk stayed in place.  
"There is no need to lie to me, my dear." That confused you. It was unusual for anyone to tell if you were lying. You supposed he could tell because he was, after all, the god of trickery.  
You risked a quick glance back at where blue-coat man had been, but realized you had lost him. You mentally cursed yourself. Loki seemed to sense this, but instead of questioning your actions, he simply held out his hand. "Instead of watching the dancers, would you care to become one?"  
Had the mask not been on your face, it would have been obvious that you blushed. The fact the prince was asking you to dance was incredible enough, not to mention he was extremely attractive. Not that you noticed.  
You shoved your feelings aside and were about to decline his request and search for the man in the blue coat, when you realized, what better way to keep the prince safe than to be right by his side? Accepting his invitation would definitely have nothing to do with the fact that you were attracted to him. Probably.  
You genuinely smiled. "Of course, sir."  
Loki gently took your hand, and you followed him onto the dance floor. You knew nothing about dancing but since the gentleman normally led the dance, you figured it wouldn't be too hard to fake it. The orchestra began a new song, and Loki led you in a slow waltz.  
"So," he commented, "Interesting choice you use to address me. 'Sir'. You know, most use that title to call a knight."  
You opened your mouth. "Oh, my apologies, sir-"  
"Please, you may call me Loki," he smiled at you.  
"Thank you… Loki."  
"May I ask your name as well?"  
The music swelled, and you considered the question. You REALLY weren't supposed to draw attention to yourself. Would telling the prince your name do just that?  
"Well, s- Loki, I'm afraid I cannot."  
"Oh? Is that so?" Loki was amused at this. Frankly, you were the most interesting thing that had happened to him this night.  
"As it is a masquerade ball, I believe I should keep my identity a secret, just as this mask does," you replied. Thank the gods for quick thinking.  
"Keeping me in suspense, are we?" Loki laughed.  
You laughed with him, and a flash of blue caught your eye. You were in the center of the dance floor, and to your left, you recognized the blue-coated man just before he pulled a great dagger out from under his coat.  
Your hands leapt from Loki's hands to your thighs. You yanked your twin knives out and made a quick slice at the assassin to catch him off balance, and then shoved Loki towards the palace.  
"ASSASSIN!" You yelled at the top of your lungs. Other guards came rushing forward, grabbing onto Loki and thrusting him towards the castle doors. The attacker threw his dagger at Loki. You deflected it, but in the process, your arm received a nasty gash. Using your good arm, you swiped at his stomach.  
"Wait!" Loki yelled. He summoned his magic and aimed at the attacker, but you shoved him further towards the safety of the palace.  
"You must go, sir! You cannot be harmed!" You yelled, turning once again to face the attacker. Loki lowered his arms as more guards dragged him through the door. As the doors closed, Loki saw you slam the hilt of your knife into the man, who immediately crumpled to the floor.  
As guards began to block all the entrances, a pale Thor came to find Loki. "Brother, are you well? We were informed of the attack on you on the veranda-"  
"Yes, I am fine," said Loki. He tried to look out of a window and see what had happened to you, but he and the rest of his family were already being ushered deeper into the castle for protection. He pulled a guard aside.  
"You! Do you know the name of the woman who saved my life?" he asked, urgency in his voice.  
"I'm afraid I've been inside this whole time, my prince. I had no idea it was even a woman who saved your life."  
Before he got a chance to interrogate other guards as to who you were, he was escorted to his room, and the door was locked with guards positioned outside it to protect him. He paced his room, fearing he would never see you again and would never be able to thank you. There was also the possibility that he wanted the chance to ask you for another dance.


	2. Chapter 2

~Time skip 1 day~

You were training in the late afternoon, working on attacking and dodging with your non-dominant hand. Everyone was wondering who the mysterious woman was who had saved the prince last night. Odin had even offered a reward to anyone who could prove they were the savior. Going to the infirmary would be a dead giveaway that it was you, and you were NOT in the mood to get chewed out by Fury or the captain of the guard for doing your job right and getting exposed as a human for it. Therefore, you were stuck with (right/left) hand practice until your other arm healed.  
"Yes, Prince Loki, we did have some guards hidden as guests last night, but I assure you, I've no idea who it was that saved you." You heard the captain talking to someone near the entrance. You refused to glance up at the captain's office to see who it was (though you had a pretty good idea), but you thanked the high heavens that you weren't the only one training and that you were wearing a shirt concealing your bad arm.  
"Still, I would like to speak to some of your guards. They may have seen something." You heard Loki's voice and mentally groaned. The castle must have just been taken off high alert, and he must have come straight here to find out information about you.  
"I suppose that would be quite all right, my prince." The door opened, and the captain and Prince Loki walked in. Loki surveyed those in the room, and you kept your eyes on your target. Loki went to talk to another female who was working on hand-to-hand combat, and you cautiously lifted your eyes to the captain. He was looking at you, suspicion in his gaze, and you shrugged. He gave you a curt nod to stay quiet and returned to his office.  
You took a knife out of your belt, aimed at the moving target, and threw. Bam. Bull's-eye.  
"That was quite impressive," Loki applauded you.  
Crap. "Thank you, sir."  
Loki's smile widened, and you wondered what you said. "Funny thing you called me. 'Sir'."  
God damn it.  
"My apologies, my prince, it is what I am used to addressing people as in this wing of the castle." You didn't meet his gaze.  
"I quite understand. Now, would you do me a favor and walk with me?" Loki offered you his arm.  
Well, now you couldn't turn him down. "Of course." You put your arm through his and walked around the edge of the training pit where no one could hear you.  
"If I lift your sleeve, will I see a gash?" He asked as soon as you were out of earshot.  
"Yes, there was a training accident the other day," you quickly lied, but that just made Loki laugh.  
"You keep lying to me, yet you know I can see right through your words." He turned to you. "Tell me, why is it you don't want me to know that it was you who saved my life?"  
"I…" Ok, lying wasn't working anymore. You would just have to plunge into this headfirst and hope you didn't get into a ton of trouble over it. "I try to keep my head down around here, sir-"  
"Call me Loki, I insist," Loki said. "And why must you keep your head down, my dear?"  
"It's a bit complicated," you answered, honestly this time. Loki nodded and paused in his walk as you reach the room's corner.  
"Well, I've come to offer you my sincere thanks. Perhaps I can make it up to you by asking you to dine with my family tonight?"  
"Sir-Loki- I appreciate your offer, I really do, but I really shouldn't accept any rewards-"  
"Ah, right, you need to keep your head down," Loki remembered. "May I at least accompany you to the infirmary? I checked the infirmary log before I came here, and there have been no recordings of anyone getting treated for an arm wound, so you must still have it."  
"Um-"  
"I'll make sure your wounds are kept secret," he added.  
"Then, I suppose so." You smiled up at him. "Thank you."  
"My pleasure." He inclined his head. "And I forgot to ask you, my dear, now that your mask is off, what is your name?"  
"It's (f/n) (l/n)."  
"Lady (f/n). I like the sound of it."

~One Infirmary Visit Later~  
Loki walked you from the infirmary to your quarters.  
"I must leave you, but I must ask, there is to be another party to make up for the last next week. Would you do me the honor of being my guest?" Loki looked at you expectantly.  
"I would love to," you answered genuinely. "But I'm afraid to have my guard duties to attend to."  
"I'm sure I can request you take the night off. Besides, what better way to protect the prince than to be by his side?" He winked at you.  
"Then I am all yours," you smiled.  
Loki took your hand, kissed it farewell, and took his leave for the night.


	3. Chapter 3

~One Week Time Skip~  
Things had settled down around the castle. Most people had assumed that the mystery woman who saved Loki's life (a.k.a. you) had disappeared into the outskirts of the realm or had left it entirely. This turned you into a semi-legend, though matters weren't pressed further as Loki had stayed true to your request to stay hidden. He insisted that the woman be left alone if she didn't want to come forward.  
"Perhaps she is shy," he often joked.  
Though you had borrowed the dress from the previous ball from the guard storage rooms, the captain allowed you to take a second look around for this next ball (this one would not be a masquerade, however, because that obviously didn't work out the last time). Though the dress you chose was long (it fit the style of Asgard), you didn't need to conceal any weapons. You were going as a guest instead of a guard this time around, though you had hand-to-hand training if you needed it. You had done your hair up in a different style to avoid looking exactly the same as you had during the last ball, but most people had only caught glimpses of you then so it wasn't entirely needed.  
The party had just begun when you walked out of your dormitory. Loki was waiting politely in the hallway and beamed when he saw you.  
"You look beautiful," he said, taking your arm in his.  
"Why, thank you." You two began to walk in step, and slowly the party came into view. It was held inside the castle, with identities being checked right before the entrance to the ball room.  
The guard manning the entrance looked up as you came to the door.  
"Ah, good evening, my prince. Who might this be with you?"  
"This is Lady (f/n) (l/n)."  
A slight look of shock crossed the guard's face as he recognized you, but he put your name down on his list and ushered the two of you in.  
King Odin and Queen Frigga were at the far end of the hall, conversing with most of the minor royalty. Odin threw a glance you as you walked in with his son. He shook his head a little to himself, amazed that out of everyone Loki could have chosen as a partner, he chose the one Earthling in Asgard.  
Thor was having a grand time drinking with some of the minor princes. He saw Loki and grinned. Drunk enough to be loud but not drunk enough to be completely mindless, he walked over to you.  
"Ah, brother, I had no idea you had found yourself a companion! What is your name, young one?"  
"I am (f/n) (l/n)," you answered.  
"Tell me, Loki, how did you find such a fine maiden?" He winked at you, and you tried to hide your grin.  
Loki hid his annoyance with his brother rather well. "I was asking her about the woman who saved my life, and we learned we had much in common," he lied flawlessly.  
"Ah, how well for you! Hang on to her tightly, or I may just invite her to dance myself!" Thor chuckled to himself and walked away, acting in a manner that suggested he was less sober now than when he first came to speak with you and Loki.  
You sensed Loki's ire at Thor as his grip had steadily tightened as the conversation progressed.  
"Would you like to dance, s- Loki?" You asked him gently.  
Loki snapped out of his reverie. His eyes met yours.  
"Nothing would make me happier."  
He led you to the center of the room where many couples were already dancing. He put a hand lightly on your waist and used his other to clasp your left hand. When you didn't know what to do with your right hand, he smirked.  
"I take it you are more of a fighter than a dancer?"  
"I'm afraid fighting comes into play much more in my line of work than dancing," you said.  
Loki calmly rested your right hand on his shoulder.  
"Don't worry; it's quite easy to learn. Just have faith in me." Loki was relaxing now that he was away from Thor, and as a result, you felt your body releasing its stress too. You watched how Loki began to move and followed his steps. Dancing, you thought, shared a lot of the finesse of fighting, and you actually took to it rather well.  
"I apologize for the behavior of my brother," Loki started the conversation. "He is a bit brasher than he intends to be sometimes."  
"It is no trouble. I can hold my own in… demanding circumstances."  
Loki grinned at this.  
"Quite true. Do you have any siblings?"  
"I do not. I have not really had a family since I joined the guards, but many of my peers feel like family to me."  
"Hmm, I wish I could say the same," Loki's mind darkened for a moment before it adjusted back to the conversation. "I suppose this is why I feel so lucky to have found you."  
Your mind buzzed with elation at this statement.  
"I would have thought many people would want to be your acquaintance, Loki."  
"Most of them are liars and thieves. I can see right through them, just as I saw through you initially. But you are genuine. You aren't by my side for power or for riches."  
He looked into your eyes as the music stopped.  
"I'm not sure why you are here, in all honesty," he said. "Most people do not stay long around me. They prefer my brother, Thor."  
"Thor is… not one who would understand my position had I helped him," you said, referring to last week's lifesaving activities.  
"You believe I understand you better?"  
"In a sense, yes. You respect me enough to keep my secrets. You are also hesitant about the world. From what I've seen of you, you know when to act and when to watch, just as I like to think I do. You do not jump blindly into a situation."  
Loki enjoyed hearing about himself through your eyes. You saw him in a different light than Thor or his father. You saw him quite like his mother, now that he thought about it.  
"But, I must know…," you started slowly. As the music started up again, you took a stab at the question eating at you. "Why are you here beside me?"  
Loki thought the answer was obvious. "Well you did-" He considered his words. "-aid me in my time of need. I thought a woman such as that would be a grand acquaintance."  
"Yes, however-" You couldn't decide how to phrase this without sounding horrible. "I fear… that you are only… infatuated… with my actions, and not myself as a person."  
Loki made to protest, but the question intrigued him. You were one of the few who had truly accepted him, and certain feelings he had for you were slowly emerging. But, he wondered, was it only just a phase? He had never been very intimate, but this relationship seemed to be devolving deeper than most of his other ones (not that he had many), so how could it be a phase? Maybe this was a euphemism that you did not like him as much as he liked you?  
You, on the other hand, weren't sure you should have said that. You were really enjoying your time with Loki, and you wanted to spend more time with him. You didn't want to ruin your chances with the prince, but you didn't want it to be fake either…  
"I am very much enjoying tonight," you said quickly after an awkward silence between you two. "It's just… I have a request, if I may be so bold."  
"Of course, (y/n), what is it you desire?"  
"After this dance, could we… wait?"  
Loki looked at you, confused.  
"I mean to say, we should spend a month or so apart from each other, in order for all of the hush about last week's events to wear off. And if we still intend to be friends after that period, we will know if our feelings from tonight are true."  
Loki was disappointed, but it was a fair request. He smiled. "I can assure you my feelings are genuine, but if it is what you require, so be it."  
You were amazed. All your life you had been pushed to your limit, but now here Loki was, giving you all the time you needed to make your decision. Something fluttered in your stomach.  
"I… Thank you. It's not you, I promise, it's-"  
"I understand." Loki smiled at you. "Just as you hid behind a mask a week ago, you want to make sure what you uncover here is real."  
"Indeed, I do." Loki really did understand you. You smiled broadly up at him, and he took that as a great sign that you didn't hate him like the rest.  
"Come, most of the couples are residing to the tables for dinner…"  
He gave you a chaste kiss on the cheek, and you two walked off the floor


	4. Chapter 4

~One month time skip~  
This was the date you had set. Today was the day. And you were nervous as hell.  
You really hoped Loki would stay with you. You didn't care if he called himself a friend or even if he wanted to be more than that. Not that he would. You had actually missed him during that short month. You had been pushing yourself to train harder, trying to get Loki out of your mind, but the more you pushed, the more you remembered how he hadn't pushed you. You just really hoped he would come to see you soon.  
You took aim with your dominant hand at a target and were about to fire when-  
"Hello, dearest."  
You swerved your hand to the left and nearly hit Loki square in the face with your knife.  
"Ahhhh! I am so sorry!"  
"No, I suppose it was my fault walking unannounced into a weapons training room." Loki took a finger and parted your knife to the side to look at your face.  
"It's been a month," he said.  
"Yes, it has been." You put your knife down, and looked up at Loki. You hoped you didn't look too desperate and tried to calm down in case his answer to the unspoken question was not the answer you were hoping for.  
"If you are still interested…" Loki began, trying to gauge your reaction, "I would like to ask you to meet me in the courtyard tomorrow at noon. I believe you will not be working then, correct?"  
You blinked, trying to hold in your elation. You thought you understood what he was saying, but you weren't sure.  
"Of course," you said, letting a smile slip. Loki grinned back.  
"Farewell, Lady (y/n). I look forward to tomorrow."

~Tomorrow at noon~  
You walked through the castle halls towards the courtyard. You weren't sure if this was intended to be a formal meeting or not, so you wore your typical day clothes (this was still a dress, so it counted as both casual and formal, right?). Though the rest of the guards weren't completely aware of your relations with Loki, they weren't stupid either. Seeing you twice with him in the training room had caused some buzz around the barracks, and some the female guards had even tried to do your hair and makeup when they heard what you were doing today (not that you had told them. Rumors spread like wildfire in that small section of the palace.). You had pushed them away, fearing you would be late for your meeting.  
You stepped into the light of the garden and saw Loki sitting on a bench near a pool of water. He looked up as your shadow came closer.  
"You look beautiful." He smiled as you sat down next to him.  
"I'm not exactly wearing a ball gown…"  
"Nonetheless, you look as lovely as ever."  
You looked down at your knees in an attempt to hide your grin.  
"So, our month of deciding is up, isn't it?" Loki said.  
"Indeed, it is."  
"Good. I decided early on what my answer was, and now I finally have my chance to tell you." You looked up at him, trying hard to ignore the bubbly feeling in your brain.  
"Oh? And what would your answer be?"  
Loki stood up. He slowly walked in front of you and bowed.  
"Lady (y/n), I wish to continue being your friend, and indeed, if you will have me, I wish to court you." He held out a hand, his smile wavering as he mentally prepared himself for a potential rejection.  
You took his hand, and he helped you up. You were trying not to grin like a maniac.  
"Sir Loki, I too wish to be your friend and accept your proposal."  
Loki beamed at you. This was the first time he had really put himself on the line emotionally, and everything had worked out all right.  
He looped his hands around your waist and pulled you into a hug. Your arms looped around his shoulders, pulling him closer. You were both smiling like idiots and hiding your grins each other necks. When you broke apart, Loki kept his hands on your waist, and you put your hands on his shoulders. And when he leaned forward slowly, you leaned in too, giving him the go ahead. Your lips melded perfectly, and as Loki held you close, you brought your hands up and teased your fingers through his hair. His hands, now on your back, felt warm and all-encompassing. You broke apart slightly for air, and then you kissed him again. All of the bubbles in your mind were popping like fireworks.  
When you broke apart again, Loki's smile was as bright as the sun, and he kissed you forehead gently.  
"If you could, I'd like you to join me for a private dinner tonight. Now, I know you need to keep your head down, but-"  
"I would be delighted," you stopped him, beaming.  
Loki took your hand and kissed it. His own hand drifted around your waist, and he escorted you back to the training center, his mind now open to a whole new realm of understanding.

For the next few weeks, it was like you were living in a dream. Though you hadn't told Loki about your true Earth self, the intimacy your conversations shared was like nothing else you'd ever experienced. Loki was one of the only people to truly gain your trust. Everything was pristine and wonderful.  
That is, until Thor was banished to Earth.  
After dinner, you were walking to your barracks, unaware of the situation with Thor, when the captain of the guards called to you.  
"(L/n)!"  
You turned around, worried that your recent relationship with Loki had caused your skills as a guard to falter and that you were about to get chewed out for real this time.  
"Come to my office, quickly."  
You speed-walked to the room while the captain held the door open for you. You were about to take a seat, when your higher up stopped you.  
"This is urgent. You must leave at once."  
"Where must I go, sir?" You were confused as to what the circumstances were, but that was irrelevant. Your duty came first.  
"Back to Midgard."  
Your stomach froze.  
"Is the exchange program over, sir?"  
"Yes. Our agent was just killed on a mission. Not only that, but Prince Thor has been banished to Midgard. Director Fury has ordered your immediate removal from Asgard in order to solve any potential threats that may lie in this situation."  
"Sir, why can't you or another guard be of assistance?" You were not ready to leave Asgard, not that you had finally found someone to put your faith in.  
The captain glared at you.  
"Are you questioning a direct order, (l/n)?"  
"No, sir, I had no intention of-"  
"I have my duty and my loyalties to the king and to Asgard. You, however, are not of here. You have learned enough about Asgard to keep Midgard safe, and it is there that your own loyalties should lie. Are we clear?"  
You nodded tersely. He looked at you with a hint of dismay in his eyes.  
"You have been a good soldier. I hope you find a life worth living back there."  
"Thank you, sir." Oh gods, this couldn't be happening. After everything you worked for in Asgard, they couldn't just send you back. And yet, they were doing just that…  
"Sir, I need to say goodbye to a few comrades…"  
"There is no time, (l/n). The portal opened by the king to cast Thor down will be closing soon. Come with me this instant. You needn't pack your things." The captain practically shoved you out the door. He handed you a dark cloak to cover yourself so no one would be able to identify that it was you returning to Earth through the gateway between worlds. You practically ran through the empty halls of the castle towards the portal. You couldn't even fathom saying goodbye to Loki. Everything was happening too fast. You had your duties and your loyalties. You were afraid for the Earth and for Thor, but you figured once this was all over, you would return back to Asgard. You would see Loki again, you would be safe from your Earthly enemies, and you would be where you felt the most at home in your life.  
…Right?

"I must speak to Lady (y/n)," Loki spoke urgently to the captain of the guards. He couldn't believe what had just occurred. His own brother had been exiled… They had been close, and despite the shadow he felt from Thor, he cared deeply for him. And now he was gone. Now, there was only you…  
"I'm sorry, sir, but she has been transferred to a different location."  
"What, inside the castle?"  
"Not exactly, your highness…"  
"Then where is she?"  
The captain knew the story he was told to give to any inquirers of your whereabouts, and as he had even tricked himself with the lie, he hoped it would fool Loki as well.  
"We've moved her to the outer parts of the realms. She proved very effective at covert operations, and her skills were needed greatly to protect the borders."  
Something wasn't right. Loki could sense the lie, but it was mixed with truth. To tell the two apart was like trying to decipher a message written backwards.  
"I must see her immediately. Where is she positioned?"  
"I'm afraid I cannot tell you, Prince Loki-"  
"And, pray tell, why not?" Loki's face was beginning to twist with anger at the captain and fear for your life. He did not fully believe the captain's tale, but he had to do something to find you. He needed someone to understand him right now.  
"Unfortunately, this information must be kept private in order to avoid-"  
"Fine, then, when will she be returning?"  
The captain was not at all prepared for an enraged Loki. He tried to keep calm, but sputtered his next words.  
"Th-The station is permanent, my prince. She will presumably never-"  
Loki couldn't believe it. You'd left to never return again? Without a goodbye? Was this on purpose or had you been forced into taking this position? Had you been forced because of him?  
"Why was she transferred? If it had anything to do with our relationship, I will take the fall for her."  
The captain knew there was something going on between you two, though he hadn't realized how deep that relationship must have gone.  
"I-I assure you-"  
"Loki, that is enough." Odin had walked into the guards' quartering section of the castle and stood in the doorway of the office the two had been conversing in.  
Loki glared at Odin. "My brother is gone, and now they have taken Lady-"  
"And it is in her best interest." Odin glared back. "This has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with her. She will not be returning, no matter your interest in her. Do I make myself clear?"  
Loki just stared at his father. Then, he turned on his heel and left, his mind turning into static.  
No… not you, too… why was everything he loved being taken from him…  
The static in his head turned into a pounding roar as his ire took over his mind entirely.  
Not again… never again…


	5. Chapter 5

It had been roughly one year since you had been on Asgard. You had asked Director Fury once if there was a chance that you could return, but he reiterated that the exchange program was over. You would not be returning, and you thought it best not to ask again.  
You couldn't say you were heartbroken over Loki. I mean, you were still devastated that you two had such a short time together, and you thought of him constantly and hoped against hope that you would see him again someday, but life had to go on, and you knew it. So you did your duty and kept the Earth safe.  
You hadn't taken any part of the Thor's battle, though SHIELD had kept a close eye on the event and him even after the destruction was over. It felt good to know that he was back in Asgard, though. Surely Loki would be pleased to have his brother back. You had no idea about Loki's and Frigga's fates.  
But then the Tesseract was stolen.  
Fury came back from the base in a cold rage. He walked quickly to his meeting room, where the council was waiting to speak to him about the recent news. Maria had come shortly afterwards. She was completely banged up.  
"Oh, my God, Maria! What happened?" You supposed you knew Maria fairly well. You trusted her at least enough to know she wouldn't lie to you about what she had seen.  
Even though she was being ushered to the infirmary, she stopped for a second to give you a quick update.  
"Some guy called Loki stole the Tesseract."  
Wait, what.  
"Fury says we may need to call in reinforcements this time."  
"Hold on!" You called, but she was out of earshot by the time you could form a question on your lips.  
Ok, she couldn't be talking about LOKI Loki, right? The Loki you knew? The one you had loved? Did love?  
You checked out one of the screens on which an agent was crosschecking pictures of a man with a group of people in a video feed. The picture showed Prince Loki.  
Oh hell no.  
Oh HELL no.  
Fury came out of his meeting and walked straight towards you.  
"Have you been briefed on the situation?" he asked.  
"I know that Loki stole the Tesseract-"  
"Good. We're initiating a program called the Avengers Initiative to stop him from destroying the world with it, and I'm recruiting you as the first Avenger."  
You had heard whispers of the initiative, but you hadn't believed it would actually be put into action.  
"Sir, do you really think I qualify-"  
"Wings and superhuman abilities? Yeah, I think so. You're in. Now, I need you to tell me everything about this Loki. He's from Asgard, isn't he?"  
"Yeah, he's a prince there," you replied.  
"Makes sense," Fury said. "Considering he wants to rule all of Earth. I guess he didn't think Asgard was good enough for him?"  
"He was keen on having the crown in Asgard. I don't know why he'd switch his plans to Earth."  
Man, should you even be telling him this stuff? I mean, you didn't want Loki killed, but if everything was as bad as it sounded, if he had changed…  
"What was he like on Asgard? Manipulative? Arrogant?"  
"He felt like he was always in his brother's shadow. He wanted to be king, but he was afraid that because Thor was older, he would never get it."  
"So now Thor's back on Asgard. That may have been his trigger. Did he have any other relationships?"  
"He was close to his mother, Queen Frigga, and he despised his father, King Odin."  
"Anything else?"  
"Um…"  
"Spit it out, agent!" Fury was in a rage. You had been answering his questions as if you were holding something back, and he was not in the mood for your antics.  
"Ok, so, like, I don't know how Asgardian relationships play out on Earth, but I guess you could say that, Loki and I… were sort of… dating?"  
"WHAT?"  
Well, there was no way that was going to go over well.  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU INFORM ME OF THAT BEFORE?"  
"I didn't think you'd be interested in my love life!"  
Fury shook his head and walked away to clear his thoughts. His agent had been DATING one of the most dangerous threats Earth had ever faced.  
"And why," he faced you. "Did you think it was a good idea to date that bastard?"  
"In my defense, he wasn't evil when I met him!" At least, you didn't think he was. Loki was the god of mischief. Had everything you had shared been just a lie? Because it sure hadn't been a lie on your part.  
Fury began to calm down. He looked you in the eye.  
"You know what? I think we can use this. But I need to know now. Are you still in love with him?"  
"If he's turned into who you said he is, no, I'm not."  
"And if you have the chance to kill him, on my orders, will you take the shot?"  
You hesitated. Fury glared at you, but nodded.  
"That's what I was afraid of. We'll have to talk about your role in all of this later. For now, get Coulson and help him assemble these people."  
He handed you a file.  
"Sir?"  
Fury raised his eyebrow at you.  
"If I find out that the version of Loki I loved is gone, I'll take the shot."  
He just nodded at you and walked away.


	6. Chapter 6

The Avengers had been assembled. Loki had been imprisoned on the SHIELD base, and you wanted a chance to talk to him, but you weren't sure it would be a good idea. To your knowledge, Fury was still pretty ticked at you, but, hey, it wasn't YOUR fault that your previous boyfriend turned into psychotic murderer. Everyone had just returned from capturing Loki when you walked into the room.  
Fury inclined his head towards you. "And this is your sixth party member, (f/n) (l/n)."  
Everybody turned to see you. Thor broke out into a huge grin.  
"Lady (y/n)!"  
"Prince Thor!" You grinned back. He came up to you and threw you into a bone-crushing hug, which also effectively lifted you from the floor.  
"OK, can't breathe, can't breathe!" You yelped.  
Thor returned you to the ground, thankfully.  
"You two know each other?" Tony said, with a raised eyebrow.  
"Lady (y/n) saved my brother from an assassin!"  
"Wait, how do you know-"  
"I bet you regret that now," Tony drawled.  
"Can it, Stark." You said.  
Thor continued during your argument.  
"Loki was also courting her -"  
"HMM MAYBE WE SHOULD KEEP THAT A SECRET, EH, PRINCE THOR?"  
Steve looked shocked, Bruce looked confused, and everybody else was glaring at you.  
"I SWEAR IT ENDED THE MOMENT I LEFT ASGARD!"  
"Why did you leave Asgard?" Thor asked you. "Loki was incredibly distraught."  
More glares.  
"Look, it was an exchange program between SHIELD agents and Asgardian guards. I volunteered to go to Asgard, I stayed there for a couple years, and then I was pulled back."  
"So you're human?" Bruce asked quietly.  
"Yes. Well, mostly. I'm a mutant."  
You flashed your wings for a split second before pulling them back in.  
"And why were you pulled back?" Tony asked. "So you couldn't date the crazy murderer anymore?"  
"In my defense, he wasn't crazy or murderous when we were dating. And I was pulled back to help when he came to Earth." You chucked a thumb in Thor's direction.  
"Why was this the cause?" Thor looked at you, confused.  
"We didn't want you to accidentally blow up Earth. Not that you would. It was just a precaution. Also one of your guards died on a mission, so it wasn't completely your fault I was pulled back."  
"Oh."  
"Ok." Tony stood up and cleared his throat. "So we have a winged mutant dating our number one threat" ("We are NOT dating anymore") "and we want her to come on a mission to bring down her boyfriend." ("FORMER boyfriend") Tony looked at you exasperatedly. "STILL, in WHAT universe is this a good idea? What if she changes her mind and decides to help her boyfriend kill off any single one of us?"  
Fury finally stepped in.  
"I have my reasons for suspecting she won't."  
"And they are…?"  
"There are between me and her."  
"Come on, now, Fury, don't go all Dumbledore-Snape on us-" Tony was interrupted.  
"Despite her previous actions, Stark, we need her."  
"Oh, and why is that?"  
"Because she's gonna get Loki to tell us where the Tesseract is."

"Wait, are you saying I'm seducing-"  
"Yes."  
"BUT I NEVER AGREED TO-"  
"You did, and you will, if you want to help us, Agent." Fury looked you in the eye. "Loki is planning on destroying the human race and Earth. If you want to live and see all of us live, then you will do this. You are our best chance at getting the Tesseract, and you know it."  
You did know it. You weren't keen on this, but you did get your chance to speak to Loki now, and you knew you could make some impact on him.  
"When should I go in?"  
"As soon as you are ready." Fury's gaze spoke tacitly of some kind of approval.  
"Fine. I'm ready now. Let's do this."


	7. Chapter 7

The door to the containment center opened and closed. Loki smirked.  
"Did you forget something?" he asked, thinking it was Fury.  
"No, but I think you did."  
Loki froze. He, who had planned his entire way from the depths of space to the conquering of Earth, who had prepared for everything SHIELD could throw his way, freaking FROZE.  
He whipped around to see you standing in the entryway. You just looked at him.  
It had to be a trick. There was no way that you were here. You'd left him. You'd gone to the outer parts of Asgard… No… You'd gone to the outer parts of the realms… But the captain hadn't specified WHICH realms…  
Loki just stared back at you.  
You raised an eyebrow.  
"Nothing to say to me, Loki?"  
His breathing was ragged.  
"How are you here?"  
"I was sent through the same portal as Thor to go to Earth."  
"So you were sent here to protect my idiot brother?" Loki seethed. He'd lost you and his brother in the same day. If Thor was the cause of all of this…  
"I returned here to work for SHIELD."  
"You… returned?"  
"Yeah, I returned. I'm human. Well, mostly human. I'm what they call a 'mutant' here." You fluffed up your wings and casually left them visible.  
Loki couldn't believe this. He'd couldn't freaking believe it.  
"So everything you told me was a lie," he laughed quitely to himself.  
"Oh, you're giving me too much credit. You could tell if I was lying. Everything I told you was the truth. I just… left out some parts."  
"Some rather important parts, my love."  
You mentally grimaced at his colloquialism.  
"So, if it wasn't a lie on my part," you said. "Then it must have been a lie on your part, because this certainly isn't the you I fell in love with."  
"So you are still in love with me?" he mused, growing more accustomed to your presence again.  
"I'm in love with the idea of you." You looked tired to him, but he couldn't tell if that was just another game. "Why are you doing this, Loki?"  
"Doing what? Becoming king of an inferior people?"  
"They are my people, Loki. Surely you can understand that we're the same. If you really loved me, why would you think I'm your inferior?"  
"Ah, but my dear, you said it yourself. You are NOT completely human. YOU are NOT one of them." You bristled with anger at that. You had tried so hard to become one of them for so long. You were one of them by every standard, except for physicality. Who was he to say you were not one of them?  
"Did I say something wrong?" He looked at you. Something was off. Something about his question reflected some part of him, but at this time you had no idea he was a frost giant, so you couldn't place your finger on just what was wrong with his question.  
"I am still in love with you," he continued (was he pleading? You couldn't tell). "I thought you had left me for so long, but you are still here, alive and well. I want to be with you. Please, be my queen, and everything will be all right. You need not fit in with those who have hated you for so long." He could sense some of your thoughts, some of your desires. He was just playing you, wasn't he?  
He smiled warmly.  
"After all, what goes better with a god than an angel?"  
"I am no angel," you said dangerously.  
"But, my love, I can make you one. Just take my hand, and we can be together." Loki placed his hand on the glass surrounding him. You thought you saw a hint of something deep in his eyes, but you couldn't tell if he was genuine or not. He was the god of trickery. The god of lies. He couldn't be serious, could he?  
…Could he?  
"Just tell me, what do you plan to do to the Earth and the Tesseract? Destroy everything? I'm not in love with a killer."  
"You work for and among murderers. You are not as innocent as you think you are. What makes me any different from them?"  
"You want power. You want to rule Earth and take away people's freedom"  
"Freedom is life's great lie. I do not intend to take YOUR freedom, of course, only that of those around you. I want them to see peace."  
You shook your head.  
"But freedom is all I have now," you said. "I spent years as a kid trying to be free, and SHIELD made it a reality for me. I remember what it feels like to be in a prison you can't get out of. So why would I want anybody else to go through that?" You finally looked Loki in the eye.  
"Please, just, tell us where the Tesseract is. Go back to Asgard. I'll come with you. I love you, and I don't want to see you do this."  
Loki took his hand down.  
"It seems you don't understand me as well as you thought," he sighed. "This is my destiny, (y/n). And if you can't accept that, then I guess we fell out of love a long time ago."  
You couldn't believe it. Did he know how much time you had spent thinking about him? Worrying about him?  
Loving him?  
And now, here Loki was, choosing the destruction of an entire race over you. You were SO done with him.  
"You can change your destiny," you said furiously. "I did it."  
"But I can't. See? More differences between us." He glared at you.  
"Go back to your SHIELD," He spat. "I have nothing further to say to you."  
"If you kill all of these people, then I won't remember you as anything other than a monster."  
Loki smirked.  
"Oh, my dear, you and your friends have another monster to deal with first."  
What was that supposed to mean? Unless…  
"Oh, my God." It dawned on you. "You're going to use Bruce. That's your plan."  
Loki looked at you, confused, and then realization eclipsed his face. He had just told you his plan.  
You ran out of the room as quickly as you could to tell Fury what was about to happened.  
"(Y/N)!" Loki screamed as you left. You didn't hear him.

Your information actually didn't do a whole lot of good because as soon as you got to the team, the entire left side of the base exploded in flames. While Steve and Tony were trying to repair the engines, and Natasha and Thor were fighting Bruce and Clint, you were trying to rescue SHIELD agents who had been blown off the base in the explosion. You were dive bombing like crazy in a bunch of attempts to bring as many people as you could back onto the base to fight. You located the enemy plane, but were unable to get close to it because, unlike most of the other Avengers, you weren't immune to bullets. But then a realization came to you. If they were protecting the plane, that meant they had further use for it. They probably had an escape plan. And while everyone was off battling the other enemy agents, no one would be guarding Loki, who needed to escape.  
You zoomed back to the base, hoping that no one would fall off while you were gone. You dodged, struck, and maneuvered through the fighting, racing to Loki's cell. You got there just as Coulson was stuck through the chest with Loki's knife.  
"Coulson!" You screamed. While Loki whirled to face you, Coulson blasted Loki with whatever the heck machine he had in his hands.  
"So that's what it does…" he wheezed.  
"We need medics here, NOW!" You yelled at the top of your lungs. Loki got up from where he had been crushed on the floor, and you jumped at him. He swung at you with his scepter while you ducked and attempted to kick him where it counted. He leapt back and blasted magic at you. You couldn't gain control of your body quick enough from the forward motion of your attack, which you had put all of your strength into, and you were blasted into the stair railing where you hit your head against a metal bar. Loki and a couple of his agents made a swift escape while you attempted to see past the stars and darkness buzzing you vision.  
Just as you were able to stand up (you felt like you were about to throw up), Fury and the medical team arrived. They tried to split up between you and Coulson, but you managed to get out, "I'm fine, get Coulson."  
The medics rushed to his side, where Nick Fury was trying to keep Coulson holding on to life. You watched as they hauled him onto a stretcher and wheeled him up the stairs.  
Fury was the closest to tears that you had ever seen him.  
"I'm sorry, sir, I couldn't stop him," you panted.  
"It's alright, (l/n). Make sure everyone who needs it gets medical attention, and do whatever you can to help."  
He looked at you with a darkness in his eyes.  
"You did your best, Agent. Now comes the real war.


	8. Chapter 8

Tony had figured out where Loki was hiding the Tesseract, which was apparently at the top of Stark Tower. He flew there in his suit, with you following close behind on your wings, while the rest of the crew took a jet. You head hurt like hell after Loki bashed you into the staircase railing, but you were ignoring it for now. You had a fight to pick with the god of mischief, and you were SO not letting a minor injury hold you back.  
Tony had entered the building a few minutes prior, but when he didn't return, you flew in to make sure everything was all right (it should've just been a get-the-Tesseract-and-get-out sort of job, right?). You touched down on the Iron Man landing strip and walked in.  
"You alright, Stark?" You asked as you came in.  
"Totally fine, (l/n)." Tony was pouring himself some liquor while secretly putting on a metal bracelet from his Iron Man suit. "Just offering your psycho boyfriend a drink."  
You stopped when you realized Loki was in the room. You glared at him. He glared back.  
"Oh, what a nice little reunion!" Tony said. "Well, don't let me get in the way."  
"Well, I was gonna kick his ass, but I think Clint called dibs…"  
"Hey, no ass-kicking while we're having a nice chat." Tony wagged a finger at you. "Where were we, Loki? Oh, right."  
Tony cleared his throat.  
"You see, Reindeer Games, you've managed to piss off the Avengers. Earth's mightiest heroes and all that. And we will defeat." Tony smirked at him.  
"And yet, I have an army. Who are you to stop me?" Loki was trying desperately not to look at you, so he found himself sneering forcefully at Tony.  
"We have a HULK," Tony explained. "Also, we have your ex. Not a good combo to be up against."  
"You really think you can win this battle," Loki laughed. Your jaw was clenched so tight, you thought you might snap a tooth. You were about to make a move, but you saw Tony set his drink down and begin to walk forward.  
"Let's get this straight, shall we? First, there's you." Tony pointed to Loki. "But then again, there's seven of us, and you've managed to piss off each and every single one of us. We've got an angry bird girl who can slice off your head before you've even had a chance to register what's happened" (he jabbed a thumb at you) "a master assassin, a master archer, a god, a super soldier, a hulk, and, oh yeah, one more guy. That would be me. And you better run." Tony took one menacing step forward.  
Before either you or Tony could react, Loki grabbed Tony by the throat, shoved him up, and threw him out the window.  
"No!" You cried. You ran at Loki, knives out, but two steps in, the pain in your head hit you like a tsunami. You winced, intent on still getting a good stab at Loki, but then your vision went fuzzy, you felt like vomiting again, and you crumpled to the floor a couple of feet in front of him.  
You couldn't even register what was going on around you the pain was so bad. You thought you heard someone calling your name, but your hands were covering your face and ears in an attempt to get the pain to stop. Someone gently but firmly gripped your arms in an attempt to get at your face, but you struggled.  
Finally, they laid your hands by your side when their superior strength won over. They kneeled over you, and you opened your eyes wide enough to see that it was Loki.  
"Get off me!" You screamed, but it sounded more like a moan of pain.  
"Stupid girl, I'm trying to heal you!"  
You struggled against your captor, but he held you steady. You felt fingers gliding along your temple, and a green glow enveloped your vision.  
This was it. You were going to die. And it would be by the hands of that bastard.  
You were NOT ready to die. But you couldn't struggle anymore. You couldn't think or speak.  
But… that wasn't right, you thought. Why was the world becoming clearer? Wait, was Earth already Hell then? Were you stuck here forever? You did NOT want to be stuck here forever.  
You were exhausted, but Stark Tower came into focus. Loki was right on top of you, his face screwed in concentration as he worked his magic. You were gasping for breath, but the pain was clearing up. You could see. You were gonna slap the hell out of Loki the second you could move.  
Loki finished healing you and looked at you wearily.  
"Stupid girl," he muttered. Your breathing calmed down. You were just beginning to realize what had happened, even if it didn't make a lick of sense.  
Loki picked you up bridal style and carried you further into the tower. He laid you down on one of the couches while you just stared at him, confusion lining every edge of your face.  
"Sleep tight, my angel," Loki murmured. He walked toward the balcony to join the battle.  
Wait, wasn't Loki the bad guy? Didn't he hate your Avenger guts? Wasn't he supposed to have thrown you off the tower like he did to Tony? Oh God, Tony. Where was he? Where were the others? There was a blue glow outside the window. Creatures were flying everywhere. Where was everyone? Were they alright? You needed to get up. You needed to get out there and fight. You tried to get up, but your body was so sore that you still could barely move. Loki may have healed your head, but the rest of your body still had a long way to go. You tried as hard as you could to move, got off the couch, and fell to the floor three steps later.  
And so, coughing, you finally gave in to your body's demand for sleep…

"(Y/n)… (Y/N)!" Someone was shaking you.  
You groaned and sat up, a quick bout of nausea rolling over you like a wave. The sun hurt your eyes.  
"Oh God, what did Loki do to you?"  
"I HEALED her. Stupid mortals…" You heard from somewhere in the room.  
Natasha was hovering over you and helping you to your feet. The rest of the Avengers were poised in front of Loki, ready to attack the second he moved.  
"If it doesn't matter to any of you, I'll have that drink now," Loki muttered.  
You glanced at him as he tried to lock eyes with you and then looked away.

Soon after, Loki was chained and muzzled. Thor agreed to use the Tesseract to go back to Asgard and try him for war crimes there. You considered going with them, but decided against it. You loved Asgard, but your job was here on Earth.  
You watched, along with the others, as Thor handed Loki the prism with the Tesseract. Just before Thor turned the handle, you and Loki locked eyes. You thought you saw something akin to sadness in his gaze, but you broke your connection. You didn't want to deal with Loki and his games anymore.  
And then, just like that, he and Thor were gone. You turned to Natasha.  
"You know, he really did heal me, on the tower."  
Natasha looked thoughtful, but shook her head.  
"Are you sure? You were pretty out of it up there."  
You considered this. It could've been a trick. But even so, why hadn't he killed you? He had the chance. And you would have killed him… wouldn't you?  
So why wouldn't he?


	9. Chapter 9

It had been a year. After it was found out that Loki's plan all along had been to get back to Asgard in the unassuming form of a prisoner and then pull a coup, he was sent back to Earth. SHIELD had agreed to keep him, especially since Fury thought he could be a powerful weapon if he could be converted to their side. So now, he was living at Stark Tower with some crazy enchantment in place to keep him from leaving and/or blowing the entire place up.  
You yourself had been living there too. After you jokingly told Tony that you needed a change of scenery from living in SHIELD in your whole life (excluding your time in Asgard), he offered you a place to stay, and you accepted. The rest of the Avengers occasionally dropped by, and it was good to be somewhere where you could finally take a breather from the life of action you had lived for countless years. You still worked for SHIELD, going on covert operations, but you had more time to make up for the childhood you had lost, and you were loving the free time, to be completely honest. The only slight problem was Loki.  
You two never really talked. Frankly, you stayed on separate floors for the most part, so you never really saw each other (You HAD, however, seen Tony and Pepper around quite frequently and more than once caught them in… awkward… situations). You and Loki never made eye contact and usually just ignored each other. But after months of silence, someone had to break the ice. That person just happened to be you.  
You were walking onto the floor that served as a living room for all the other floors. You plopped down on the sofa, when you saw something move in the corner of your eye.  
"Jesus!" You yelped.  
"Sorry, wrong god," Loki murmured. His eyes were planted firmly in his book (he was reading A History of Time by Stephen Hawking, and though he didn't show it, he was thoroughly confused).

You stared at him. He usually never came up here, but you guessed months of being locked up in one building had forced him to become bored of most of the other floors. Loki sensed your gaze and looked up at you. You looked away before your eyes could lock together.  
You relaxed on the couch. According to some tacit agreement, you didn't talk to him, and he didn't talk to you. You stayed out of his way, and he stayed out of yours. That's the way things had worked since your falling out a year ago.  
You wanted to talk to him. You wanted to know why he had done everything he had done, and if you'd been the cause of it, and if he still held feelings for you. You still held feelings for him (at least, you held feelings for who he used to be), but you figured he was a changed man and there was no going back.  
But most of all, you wanted to know what had happened on the tower when Loki attacked New York City. Why had he saved you? You fought yourself for a good five minutes wondering if you should cross the unspoken line that dictated neither of you speak to each other. Loki seemed to sense you were thinking something and looked up again. You decided to take this as a go ahead.  
"I've been meaning to ask you…" you started, but trailed off.  
"Yes?" He didn't seem antagonistic, just curious.  
"Why didn't you killed me a year ago? When I came at you after you threw Tony off the building?"  
Loki hesitated for the slightest fraction of a second before putting his book down. He looked you dead in the eye.  
"I didn't want to see you leave me again like you did in Asgard."  
You nodded. He had still cared about you. Loki decided to continue this question game.  
"Would you have killed me if you had the chance up there?" He asked you back.  
"I… think so. I don't know. It was my job"  
A slight weariness sagged in Loki's eyes, but he seemed to understand.  
"What did you do when I left you in Asgard?" You asked.  
"I searched for you and came up empty-handed. I decided that you were gone from my life, as was Thor, and I moved on to my higher purpose. My job, if you'll put it that way. Did you move on from me as well?"  
"I never stopped thinking about you. I thought there was a way I could get back, but I never found one."  
"Ah." He nodded.  
"I guess I never tried hard enough, though," you pushed forward, feeling the need to explain yourself. "I mean, I thought Fury was right when he said I couldn't go back through the exchange program, but I should've done more-"  
"It's alright," Loki interrupted you. "You did not cause this."  
"Cause what?"  
Loki waved a hand.  
"This. All of the events leading up to this moment. I suppose I have to take the blame for this."  
"We both had our faults."  
"You didn't try to conquer and kill and entire realm."  
"Yeah, I guess I didn't."  
An awkward silence passed between you two.  
"Did you really love me? Back on Asgard?"  
Your breath caught in your chest at Loki's question.  
"I mean- yeah. I really did." You paused. "Did you love me too?"  
Loki nodded, still looking you deep in the eye. He mentally battled against himself and then made to sit next to you on the couch. You made a spot for him, and he sat down.  
"Do you love me now?"  
What you could sense from Loki now was the same sense you got from him on Asgard. You sensed a genuine love for you, one that said you understood him more than anyone and he understood you. Maybe your Loki had never left as much as you thought he had.  
"Yes."  
Loki placed a hand on your cheek and brought his lips to yours. You felt a warmth flow throughout your body, and you felt the same fireworks erupting in your head from the day you first kissed. You leaned in to deepen the kiss and put your hands on his chest. Loki wrapped his other arm around your waist and held you close. And after you had enjoyed kissing for what felt like an eternity, you laid your head on his side, and he pulled his arm around your shoulder, lightly rubbing your arm with his thumb. He placed a slow kiss on your forehead.  
"I love you, my angel."  
"I love you, my god."


	10. Epilogue

"God damn it," said Tony, staring at the video feed with you and Loki on it.

"It's not your fault that you bet so much on them not getting together again. Now, pay up," said Natasha. She and Clint smirked at him. Bruce and Steve were digging through their pockets for cash.

"Come on, they'll break up as soon as Loki becomes a mass murderer again," Tony said indignantly.

"More like she'll be dragged down with him," said Bruce nervously.

"Come on, guys, if anything she'll turn him good." Natasha rolled her eyes at the two.

"Is that a bet?" said Clint.

…

….

…..

"You're on."

"So," Loki said to no one in particular while holding you. "You know that Stark and the others are watching us right now and are betting on our relationship status?"

"…Wait, what?"

You got up and turned around searching for the camera. And when you found it…

"I'M GOING TO MURDER ALL OF THEM."

"Does that mean I win?" You heard Bruce say from somewhere upstairs.

Loki took your hand and yanked you down onto the couch again. You sprawled over his lap.

"Don't bother, I already took care of it," said Loki.

"Oh, no…" You heard Steve say and then some mad scrambling from the room above you. You laughed.

"Serves them right."

Loki tugged you closer to his chest and kissed you. You lay your head in the crook of his neck as he stroked your cheek. You smiled as you closed your eyes.

"So, do you want to bet who gets their comeuppance first?" Loki murmured into your forehead.

"Oh, you're so on."


End file.
